Light tool



C. L. BEARD LIGHT TOOL Jan. .29, 1946.

Filed July 27, 1944 v2 Sheets-Sheet 1,

r l 166,1 K

y i Zmvenor Gttofneg Jan. 29,1946;A HEARD` A `2,393,880

LIGHT TOOL Filed July 27, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l 'l Il ZsnveltorCttorneg Patented Jan. 29, 1946 I UNITEDY STATES PATENT 1 A oFFlcsq-f lf v LIGHT 'rooL Charles Ll Beard, Lancaster, Pa. Application July 27,1944, serial No. 546,875

5 claims. (ci. 294-215 My invention relates to improvements in tools andmore particularly to such as are especially adaptable vin installing newand in replacing old or damaged fluorescent light tubes.

It is well known that light tubes are very frequently supported b'y andlocked in brackets suspended from ceilings andother places beyond thereach of a person standing on the floor.

One of th'e principal objects of the present invention is to provide atool by means of which the user can grasp a light tube, located at aconsiderable height, and turn the tube about its horizontal vaxis tounlock the same and otherwise facilitate removal of the tube, withoutthe necessity ofY employing a step ladder or similar precarious elevatedsupport.

Another object of th'e invention is to provide a tool comprisinga pairof elongated curved gript ping jaws pivotally 4connected together attheir adjacent longitudinal edges for gripping and releasing a lighttube, both of the jaws being pivotally movable simultaneously by meansof Va remote control, to partially rotate the gripped tube about itslongitudinal axis.

Other objects and advantages of the tool will be understood as thedescription is considered with the accompanying drawings, in which: f

Figure 1 is affront or side view showing the jaws in the positionillustrated in full lines in Figure 3; Y

Figure 2 isa view of the opposite side of the tool to that shown inFigure 1;

Figure 3 is an end View showing in full lines the jaws in forwardlytilted position with a light tube grasped between the jaws and in dottedlines showing the jaws swung rearwardly into the position assumed whenlocked in th'e supportingv brackets;

Figure 4 is an end view showing in full lines the front jaw in openposition with a light tube inserted, and in dotted lines showing thefront jaw in closed position with the light tube gripped by both jaws;and

Figure 5 is a detail view of the supporting brackets.

Referring more particularly to th'e drawings I denotes my improved toolcomprising an elongated hollow support or handle 2, a two part clamp 3mounted upon one end of the handle, and an actuating member or rod 4,extending loosely through the hollow handle and operatively connected toone member of the clamp 3, for a purpose hereinafter described.

The gripping or clamping member 3 is composed of two elongatedhorizontally disposed jaws 5 and 6, arcuate in cross section and havingtheir side edges hingedly connected together adjacent the opposite endsthereof, for relative movement' with respect to each other, by means' ofhinge members 1 on opposite endsof the jaw 5, cooperating with members 1on opposite ends of the jaw 6, for thercception of pintles 9 and 9". Thejaws 5 and 6 are curved to snugly seat and grip a conventional lighttube 8. Coil springs I and Ill', coiled upon the pintles 9 and 9',between the hinge members 1 1', of each pair, normally maintain the jawsand 6 in closed or gripping position. They can only be opened against.the tension of the coil springs. s

A bracket I I suitably secured to the upper end of the hollow h'andle 2,is formed with oppositely disposed upstanding arms I2 whichare'pivotally. secured, at their upper ends, to a pair of arms or angesI3, in turn integrally formed with or s'uitably secured to and dependingfrom the jaw-5.

f Threaded pivot pins I4 and nuts I5 are employed to pivotally connectthe two pairs of arms I2 and I3 so that the jaws 5 and 6, and thefluorescent tube 8 clamped therebetween, mat7 be bodily rocked or tiltedabout the pins I4, asan axis, by means of th'e actuating rod 4, in amanner pres-1 ently described. The rodf extends upwardly. through thebore of hollow handle 2 and the registering aperture I6, in the bracketII, andterminates in a laterally bent or offset portion I1 which looselyengages an eye I8 formed in a lug I9 fixed to and depending from the jaw6. Thus, when the offset portion .I1 is pulled downwardly, by means. ofa hand grip 2I, secured to thelower. end oLthe rod, the jaws 5 and 6will be bodily rocked on the pivot pins I4, to the forwardly projectingfull line position shown in Figure 3. During this operation theresistance of coil springs III-ID is suiiicient to prevent acontinuation of. the normal downward pull from opening jaw 6. If the rod4 is now rotated, with sufficient turning pressure,` in ananti-clockwise direction the offset end I1 thereofk will exertVsuiiicient down? wardand rearward pressure against the lug I9 to rockthe jaw 6 forwardly on th'e hinges 1-1', against the tension of springsIIJ-I0', and into open position for receiving or releasing a tube 8, asshown in Fig. 4 full line position. When the turning pressure exerted bythe operator against the hand grip 2| is relaxed the springs I 0-I0automatically return the jaw 5 to closed position. If the rod is nowelevated the jaws and the light tube clamped therein will be bodilyrocked on the threaded pivot pins I4 in a clockwise direction, back toFigure 3 dotted line position, or in proper position'for removing orplacing atube in a pair of wall or ceiling brackets 23.

.in'Figure V3 dotted line position, the pins are aligned more or lessvertically and will pass up through Lone .of the substantially vertical`portions 24 of these .slots 'and thence forwardly into thesubstantially horizontal portions 25 thereof where they becomeautomatically locked against displacement. This yis accomplished byelevating the tool and the tube carried th'ereby into posiafter theuppermost pins of each pair reach the .L tion in which the pins willenter theslots. Andthe handle, a member connected to and depending fromone of said jaws, an actuating rod loosely mounted in said handle andhaving means cooperating with said depending member whereby when saidrod is elevated or lowered with' respect to Said handle, said jaws willbe simultaneously rocked on their pivots and when said rod is rotatedsaid last mentioned jaw will be Ymoved on said hinges, with respect tothe other of said ...jaws against the tension of ,said spring means, andmeans for limiting the vextent of the simultaneous rocking movement ofsaid jaws.

`.3. A tool for handling light tubes comprising ahollow h'andle, abracket supported on one end lo'fnsa'id handle and having a pair ofspaced upstanding arms,y a pair of elongated clamping jaws arcuate incross section hingedly connected tohorizontally disposed portions :T25of Lthetslots A22',

the tube is tilted or rotated slightly to Figure 3 full line position toplace both the, pins of each pai-rin ,the portion V5&5, Lthis :rotarymovement Vbeing ieiected-bygpulling theV actuating rod downwardlyfthroughgthe :hollowmhandle 2,.fa.;suiiicient distance `to nrock the.tube slightlyv on the pivot pins t4, Vand. lto iocked nposition. Toremove `for release the ftool it-,is `merely 'necessary to now turnthe:rod 'f.4fslightly1in .an anti-clockwise direction inithe manner.previously described, thus rockin-gthe jaw 6 downwardly and-forwardlyto open'position.

`r.'ZI'he ,rocking movement of the clamping jaws,

caused hy forcing-the rod '4 in leither :an :upward ordownwardadirection, is 'limited by .substantially V-shaped stop members.21 :integrally :formed on or otherwise :suitably .secured ito `theynpstanding arms 1:2. The arms '.28 `of these stop ;.memb,ers arezengaged, in :an obvious manner, by the side edges ,of the .arms 13,dependingfrom the .clamping jaw 5,;thus.'eiectivelyzsupporting th'e jawsVat theen'd of .their rockingmovements. I

Having .thus described my inventionwvhat lI claim is: r

`1. .A :tool for :handling fuorescent light tubes comprising a handle,ta :pair of elongated clamping jaws .arcuate in crossfsection, hingesyconnecting 4the Fjaws '.togethenspringmearns for normally maintaining-Zthe 'jawsLin closed position, ;a .handle member, means for pivotally.connecting the ij aws to the.handle,.anfractnating rod vassociated withsaid ,handle 'and connected-.tonne of said jaws whereby 'When said V'rodIis Aelevated or .lowered with .respect to ,said handle, said .jaws@will be simultaneously .rocked on their pivots and when said :rod :isrotated Asaid last mentioned jaw'fwill be'rocked .on-said hinges toopen'xposition, y'with respect to :the other of `said jaws, againsttension of saidfspri-ng means.

2. A :tool .torfhand'ling .light-tubes comprising a handle, :a ipair :ofielongated clamping jaws-arcuate vin across section, hinges k.connectingthe jaws together, .springe means for tnormally maintaining.

thljjaws in closed position, ahollow handle membeigumeans for .pivntally:connecting the jawsxto getheratadjacentlongitudinal edges, one of saidjawshaving a pair 'of spaced depending arms pivotally connected to saidupstanding arms, the

other .of .said jaws having ,a lug member fixed thereto, Y means for.normal-ly `maintaining Vsaid jaws in .closed positiom-a-ntactuatingfrod loosely connected to said lug .member whereby whenqsaidrod is moved longitudinally with:respect .tosaid handle said kjaws fwill Abe .rocked @about the jpivot of said arms, :and means on-said rodcooperating with said lug member for relatively moving said jaws ontheirhinges when said rod is rotated with respect to the handle.

Ll. AA tool Vfor handling fluorescent light tubes comprising -a handle,a pair 4ci elongatedlclamping jaws arcuate i-n'cross` section, Ihinges.connecting theV jaws together, :spring means lfornorfmally maintainingthe jawsin closed position, 4a hollow handle member, means for,pivotally :connecting the jaws V:to the handle, fan :apertured memberrsecured to .and depending from onezof said jaws, an actuating rodloosely .mountedin :saidhandle and having an offset loosely rreceived.inthe aperture of .said depending member, whereby when ssaid rod viselevated or lowered with `respect vto zsa'd handle, .said jaws will Joe:simultaneously r:rocked on their pivots and whentsaid rod is .rotated:said last .mentioned :law will be frocked-.gnsaidhinges to ropenposition, with'respect to the other of said jaws, against the tension of,-saidspring means.

75. A tool ,for handling fluorescent light tubes comprising a handle, -apair of clamping jaws substantially arcuate in cross section, hingesiconnecting lthe jaws together, spring means ior mormally maintainingthe. jaws inV closed position, 1.a handle member, means for pivotallyconnecting thejaws to ,the handle, Aa single :means :associated withsa-id handle and :connected'to .one .of said jaws whereby when said:single .mea-ns ,is elevated

